Collision of Worlds
by Rhya Storm
Summary: Inuyasha and the gang are confronted with ... themselves! From an alternate universe. Needless to say, all chaos breaks loose rather swiftly after that. On hiatus.
1. And so it begins

Summary: Inuyasha and the gang are confronted with ... themselves! From an alternate universe. Needless to say, all chaos breaks loose rather swiftly after that. Rated for slight language, may go up for future violence, don't know yet.

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or the gang or the world in which they live. I _do_, however, own Aari, Rachel and the gang, and the world in which _they _come from, and anyone else from that world. They are mine. _Noooo_ touchie. No touch.

A/N: Dedicated to my e-mail pal, Angelle, who read it first ages ago when I started writing it, and kept kickin' me in the butt to write more. And to the _real_ Rachel, who unearthed it and encouraged me to continue. The plot bunnies love you guys!

* * *

Rachel was awakened by someone softly calling her name. "Rachel! Saria! Wake up!" called a tall, redheaded man from the door. She sat up groggily, her dirty blond hair falling into her eyes. "Martin!" she yelled at him for opening the door to the girl's cabin. That, in turn, woke up her cabin mate, Saria, a brunette with a temper. 

Saria spotted Martin peeping in through the door and grabbed her javelin. "Pervert!" she screamed, a term she had picked up from Rachel, as she bonked the unfortunate monk in the head with the long pole.

Martin staggered out, shutting the door. Saria began to yank on clothes, muttering to herself. "Damn perverted monk . . ." Rachel managed to make out. "You know, Saria, he doesn't seem like he means to do half the things he does," she informed her friend.

Saria just snorted. "That's just what he wants us to think."

The door opened once again, this time to admit a young tanuki. The little raven-haired girl smiled and recited, "Martin says to get up, it's practically mid-morning, and he didn't mean it, really. I don't believe him," she added thoughtfully.

Rachel ran a brush through her tangled hair as the tanuki spoke. "Martin too scared to come in and speak for himself, Tala?" she inquired amusedly.

Tala grinned happily. "Yup! He said that Saria would just use her head-whacker on him again.

Both the older girls laughed. How many girls would consider this normal? wondered Rachel. I am, after all, at least five hundred years in the past, surrounded by monks, hanyous, tanukis, and warriors! And I seem to be a reincarnated miko priestess to boot! No, no one but she could consider this as normal.

She walked from the cabin onto the deck of their small boat, Saria close behind her, Tala running around in front of her, full of limitless energy as usual. Rachel looked around and spotted her most confusing companion, Aari, sprawled in a corner of the deck underneath a small canvas awning, totally asleep. Maps and charts, what ones they had, surrounded him - he had been attempting to figure out where exactly they were, after getting caught in that freak, terrifying storm two nights ago.

Aari was a panther hanyou. He had midnight black skin and long, silvery-white hair. He had recently acquired a red bandanna that was currently wrapped around the top of his head, just above his panther ears. His loose red shirt and colorful trousers marked him as a Gypsy. He also wore a string of turquoise-and-ivory prayer beads around his neck that allowed Rachel to restrain him with a single word. Rachel periodically swung between barely 'sitting' him and using it almost twice a day.

Martin walked over to the girls, sensibly staying away from Saria. "Morning!" he said cheerily. "I made breakfast!"

Saria's response was immediate - "Kill me now," she said flatly, and Rachel was inclined to agree with her.

There was a clatter behind them. They turned to see that Aari had woken up and was sampling Martin's pot of mush. The hanyou swallowed a sticky mouthful, and then turned to them. "Well, there's good news, and there's bad news," he informed them in response to their unanimous, unasked question.

"Give us the good news first," Saria commanded, kneeling down and sniffing dubiously at the goopy concoction.

"Well, the good news is that breakfast is edible, if somewhat tasteless," he replied, taking another bite. Rachel rolled her green eyes at him as Tala trotted over to fill her own plate. "And the bad news?"

"The bad news is," he paused to swallow, "I have no idea where we are. All the constellations have completely vanished. We were either blown half-way across the world, or into another one."

"Another . . . world?" Rachel repeated slowly, shocked. Utter silence followed, and Tala dropped a pin. Everyone heard it.

Feudal Japan:

Inuyasha was up a tree, sulking. Kagome had been gone for five days, and he was bored stiff. He snorted as he remembered her excuse:

"Inuyasha, I _have_ to, my final tests are on this week, I _have_ to go or it will totally ruin my grade point average!"

Huh! Kagome and her tests! He couldn't see what all the fuss was about.

Suddenly, there was a _thud_ from the direction of the well, and a muffled "Ouch." Inuyasha sniffed the air, just to make sure. Yes, it was her! Kagome was back!

Down in the well:

Kagome thudded down onto her rear inside the well. She had lost her balance halfway through, and had fallen over. "Ouch," she started, halting the rest as she got up and dusted herself off, before beginning to climb up the wall.

"Kagome!" she heard someone shout, then a streak of orange fluff almost knocked right back down the well. "Kagome! You're back!" Shippo exclaimed happily. Kagome smiled and hugged the little kitsune as more shouts began echoing in the woods. "Lady Kagome!" called Miroku and Sango. Sango trotted out of the forest first, Miroku close to her heels. Inuyasha followed after, his typical 'As if I care' look on his face.

"Kagome? Did you bring me any candy?" asked Shippo anxiously. Kagome laughed as she handed over the sweets. Sango walked over.

"You're spoiling him rotten, you know," she commented dryly. Kagome chose to ignore that remark. "So, where to next?"

Kagome blinked, her eyes slightly unfocused for a moment. Then, a confused look entered her face as she came back to reality. "There's . . . something out there," she began, confused. "It's powerful . . . it could be a Shikon shard, but it feels strange..."

Inuyasha shrugged. "So? Maybe it's tainted," he commented, acting bored. "Let's just go and get it already."

Kagome wavered, still unsure. "Come on," Miroku urged. "If it feels like a shard, then that's what it is. It must be the way the holder is using it or something."

Sango glared at him, siding with Kagome. But in the end, Kagome gave in. "All right, let's go," she proclaimed.

Inuyasha led the way, Kagome directing him from behind. Miroku dropped back to Sango and smiled pervertedly as he groped her butt. Sango whirled on him. "HENTAI!" she cried, knocking his skull in with her boomerang. She shook her head. "Honestly, monk, you never learn, do you?"

Kagome giggled, and looked up at the sky. Dark gray stormclouds were brewing, hovering ominously. Inuyasha sniffed the air, and smelled the crackle of electricity. "Looks like a big storm is headed this way," he observed.

Sango looked up at the menacing clouds. "We'd better head over to the nearest village and get some shelter before the storm hits," she said urgently. The rest of them agreed with her, and set off to try and make it to the village before the skies opened up on them.

* * *

A/N: Yes, I do luuuurve Inuyasha. Review! Feed the hungry review machine! Make the author feel nice! All flames welcome, they shall be fed to my pet demon, Shetan, who shall stalk whoever sent them until they go insane. Muahahahahahahaaaa! I love evil laughs, don't you? 


	2. A dark and stormy night

A/N: Well, apparently 11 people have dropped by here and only 1 has reviewed. I'm feeling slightly discouraged here. Maybe I just haven't gotten to the interesting parts yet ... ah, well. I'll upload a few more chapters, and if things don't improve, then I'll just discontinue. Thankies to my one reviewer, even though it had nothin' to do with the story!

* * *

In the Boat:

The waves were slowly getting larger and rougher as the sky above darkened. The air was weighted and oppressive. Rachel swallowed uneasily, contemplating the meaning of this change of weather. She had no wish to ride out another storm, but it was looking as if they would have no choice in the matter.

Aari walked over to the side of the boat and leaned on the edge next to her. "Storm coming," he commented. "'Nother big one, by the feel of it."

"Yippee," Rachel moaned dryly. Aari smiled crookedly.

They stood quietly for a few minutes, staring out to sea. "Aari?" Rachel inquired after a while.

"Hmm?"

"Did you mean it when you said we . . . when you said we were in another world?"

He was quiet for a moment, then replied, "Yep. I think we may be in another world. They do exist, you know."

"I know. Kari told me about them."

Kari was the village priestess who had affirmed that Rachel was the reincarnation of Reyna, a powerful priestess and Kari's older sister.

Reyna was also the one who had pinned Aari to a standing stone with an enchanted spear. Aari had been stuck there, hanging just on the edge of death, for fifty years, until Rachel had fallen into the past and freed him.

Rachel thoughtfully fingered the pouch she wore around her neck. The pouch held the shards of the Wanderer's Jewel, or the Hainan. It had been shattered when a raven-demon had attacked the village, and Rachel had attempted to shoot it out of the sky. Now, she and her friends were on a quest to gather all the shards of the Hainan before they were used by evil demons to further their own strength. More often then not, though, they had to battle a demon for one or more shards, including Aari's half-brother, a panther demon called Tarkkaenal. From him, Aari had gained his father's legendary twin scimitars, Carr and Rakk, the Claws. The Claws now swung comfortably on his waist, within easy reach.

She was jerked out of her reverie by Martin shouting, "Aari! Tie up the sails on the mast!"

Before she could blink, the panther hanyou was on top of the swaying mast, tying up the large sail in anticipation of the storm. She looked away – just watching him do that balancing act made her dizzy.

A little while later, the storm hit. The little boat climbed up tall mountains of water, and plunged down the other side of the giant waves, tossed around like a toy. Crouched in their respective cabins, the whole gang was praying that they wouldn't be sunk by this monster of a storm.

Rachel crouched on her bunk and hung on, her hands clenched so tight on the post that her knuckles were white. She bit her lip, terrified. This storm was worse than the last one!

Feudal Japan:

The storm raged overhead for what seemed like hours. Kagome jumped at every loud crack of thunder, and Inuyasha rolled his eyes nearly every time, except for the one time that the thunder crack seemed to come out of their very bones. Everyone jumped then, and Shippo cowered underneath the bed of the room they were huddled in.

When the storm finally let up, everyone sighed in relief. They stepped outside, breathing in the fresh, crisp air of earth renewed by the rain.

Shippo darted around, infected with the new energy that seemed to pervade everything, while the others thanked the villagers for sheltering them.

Once they were into the woods again, Inuyasha inquired, "Well? Now where?"

Kagome hesitated, then suddenly spun and pointed in the direction of the shore. They set off, never guessing at what they would find.

In the Boat:

Rachel wasn't sure how long she crouched in the cabin, only that the ship suddenly shuddered and jerked, creaking in protest. There was a gritty, sliding sound, and then they shuddered to a halt. The storm let up soon afterwards.

She slowly uncurled herself, listening as she heard the boy's cabin door open and Aari's light footsteps padding over the deck. There was a moment of silence, and then Martin moaned, "Oh, nooo . . ," nearly drowned out by Aari's loud swearing.

"What is it?" Saria called, walking outside, Rachel and Tala close behind.

They immediately saw the problem.

The ship was beached, run aground. The tide was low, a full two yards away from the boat. Rachel, looking down the side, saw that the bottom was splintered and broken, half-collapsed in the sand. She groaned. Now how would they get back home?

Aari, finally finished swearing, much to the disappointment of Tala, surveyed the area. "Hey . . . this kinda looks like home!" he exclaimed, startled. Everyone turned to look.

"Yes," Martin agreed. "See, the same sort of trees, and flowers . . . we could have been blown back home!"

Aari shook his head doubtfully. "Wrong direction. It's possible, but not likely."

Rachel sighed. "Well, we might as well scavenge what supplies we can from this wreck and see if anyone near here can build us a boat."

The others agreed, and set to work.

* * *

A/N: Well? Love it? Hate it? At least tell me! Please? **((puppy-dog eyes))**


	3. A distorted mirror

A/N: AAUUUGGH! I forgots Kirara! I'm so sorry, I'll fix it in this chappie, don't worry!

I'd just like to address a few things that I found in my reviews:

1.Aari's gang's names are _not _supposed to be Japanese. They come from a different world, and a different country, and a different plance of existence. So I can name them whatever I want.

2. Yes, they are like each other. They are supposed to be, they are _alternates _of each other, after all.

Just wanted to clear that up, I guess it was confusing. Sorry! Anyway, hope you all enjoy this nice, looooooong chappie!

* * *

Inuyasha gang:

Inuyasha suddenly sniffed the air, and dropped into a crouch. "Someone's up there," he whispered.

"Do they know we're here?" Sango asked, Kirara dropping from her shoulder.

"No, we're downwind of them."

Inuyasha started forwards cautiously, the others following. Soon, they all could hear voices drifting towards them on the wind.

Kagome heard a young voice, much like Shippos, complain, "But I'm _tired_! And it's so _heavy_!"

A second voice, this one older, but still female –"Honestly, Tala! It's barely a _twig_!"

A third voice, one that reminded Kagome eerily of herself, called, "Aari! Could'ja give me a hand here?"

A fourth, that would have been like Inuyasha's except for the playful tone, answered, "I would, but it's sort of, you know, _attached_ and all . . ."

The second voice, this time layered with contempt, replied, "You Gypsies are all the same, all play and no brains at all."

The gang crested a hill-top and saw the source of the voices. They stared.

A young tanuki, Shippo's age, but a girl, was making a dramatic show of lugging a small piece of wood away from a shipwreck. Four other people were salvaging what they could from it.

The second voice belonged to a strong woman with a javelin that reminded everyone of Sango. She was folding her arms and glaring at a grinning hanyou. He had black skin, and was a panther hanyou instead of dog, and wore trousers and a shirt instead of a haori, but he looked unerringly similar to Inuyasha with his stance, face, and silver-white hair. Nearby, the owner of the third voice was struggling with a large green backpack pinned underneath a pile of wood. The third voice had long, dirty-blond hair, and was about Kagome's age. She wore jeans and a T-shirt, both smudged with dirt. The panther hanyou, still grinning, went and easily lifted the wood so the girl could drag her backpack out.

The last person looked just like Miroku, save that he had red hair instead of brown. He was petting a small demon-cat with silver-gray fur. The similarities to everybody struck Inuyasha and the gang speechless.

Suddenly, the wind shifted. The panther hanyou's head jerked up and he stared in their direction. Catching sight of Inuyasha, his upper lip lifted in a snarl. The rest of the party looked up to see what the matter was, and caught sight of the rest of the gang.

The hanyou, older woman, and monk all went into defensive positions, the girl picking up a bow, and the cat hissing and swelling slightly, but none of them drew a weapon. Yet.

Inuyasha glanced back at Kagome. She nodded. "They have it."

"Perhaps Lady Kagome should approach them," Miroku suggested diplomatically. Inuyasha and Sango answered simultaneously, both responses amounting to "Like hell she will!"

"I didn't mean alone!" he protested. "I merely thought that it would be better than Inuyasha leaping out and threatening them."

Sango, after thinking a moment, agreed, as did Kagome, though Inuyasha scowled through it all. Shippo agreed just to see the expression on the hanyou's face.

Kagome stepped out in front of Inuyasha, holding her hands up in a sign of peace. The members of the strange group stared at her, over to their girl and back to Kagome again.

"We mean you no harm," Kagome called out. The neko hanyou snorted, clearly implying that she wouldn't have posed much of a threat to them anyway.

The girl similar to her walked forwards. "My name is Rachel. The monk is Martin," here the red-headed monk smiled, "the woman is my friend, Saria," the grim-faced lady nodded, "this little ball of energy is Tala," the tanuki smiled mischievously, "the cat is Flicker," the cat flicked her tail and appraised the group coolly, "and this is Aari." The colorfully dressed hanyou grinned and dropped into an elaborate bow.

Kagome nodded her greetings. "My name is Kagome. The kitsune is Shippo, this is Sango, the monk is Miroku, the cat is Kirara, and this is Inuyasha."

Shippo and Miroku smiled when they were introduced, Sango nodded, Kirara purred, and Inuyasha continued scowling. Kagome sighed. If he kept that up, his face would freeze like that, she was sure of it.

The gang walked slowly down the hill, onto the beach. The two groups stood facing each other a moment. Surprisingly, it was the panther hanyou, Aari, who made the first move.

"Hmm. I guess I was right. Damn."

Shippo couldn't resist. "Right about what?"

Inuyasha would have given him a steely glare, so the kitsune was surprised when Aari answered. "We were blown into another world." He glanced around himself, resting his gaze on Kagome and Inuyasha. "Cool."

Rachel more or less exploded. "We're stuck here facing our _clones_ and all you can say is 'cool'!"

He blinked at her, surprised. "Isn't it?"

Miroku interjected, grinning pervertedly at the sight of Saria and Rachel. "I agree," he said.

Surprisingly, Martin, Aari, Rachel, and Saria all glared at him.

"Wha-at?"

Saria blinked, and commented, "You remind me of Martin. More obtrusive, though. Back off."

Kagome and Sango laughed at the look on Miroku's face. Then, Inuyasha was nearly knocked off his feet when Tala and Shippo, rolling around in the sand, tussling, banged into him. They had hit it off from the minute they had met.

"Watch it, brats!" he snapped. To his surprise, Aari responded with Rachel and Kagome. "Leave off!" "They're just kids," Aari added, giving the dog hanyou a warning glare.

Rachel sat down in the sand, moaning. "Well, I'm exhausted. Maybe these people can lead us to the nearest village or something. So, Aari, please don't annoy them too much."

"Since when do I annoy people? I insult, aggravate, and make fun of 'em, yeah, but I don't annoy 'em. Read the contract."

"You have a contract?" inquired Kagome dubiously.

"I'm in the middle of writing it," he answered casually. Inuyasha snorted.

"What's so funny, mutt-boy?"

Inuyasha snarled at him. Aari turned to Kagome. "Doesn't he ever talk?"

Rachel kicked Aari half-heartedly from the ground. "Shut up, would'ja? Just cuz you're a chatter-box doesn't mean he is."

"Yeah, you reminded me – why the heck do they look like us!"

Kagome shook her head, unknowing. "Maybe we should ask Kaede?" she suggested.

"Who's Kaede?" Martin inquired.

"The . . . uh, the younger sister of Kikyo, the priestess of whom I am a reincarnation?" Kagome fumbled, trying to put it in terms they might understand.

Aari still looked puzzled. Rachel sat up in the sand and told him, "Kaede is their Kari, and Kikyo is their Reyna."

"Oh."

"Ah! Dry land, at last!" a small voice cried out. Fast as lightning, Aari's hand darted to a splintered board and came back holding something in his claws.

"Who are these people, m'lord?"

Aari observed the speck dryly. "Hullo, Gana. I thought you were staying on the mainland. Seeing as you never come within a hundred miles of danger and such."

Glancing up, he explained, "Gana. Flea-demon. Annoying."

"Don't I get sentences?"

"You're not worth the wasted energy."

"Hey!"

"What! You're not!"

The flea-demon leaped from Aari's claws to the sand and looked up at Kagome, Inuyasha, and the gang. "Ah. We have landed in an alternate realm of existence!"

"Wha?" Rachel and Aari replied. "In English, please," Aari added.

"We're in an alternate universe."

"Oh." Aari thought about that for a moment, then grinned. "Cool."

Rachel shook her head as she stood up and dusted herself off. "Great, just great. Now how am I gonna get home, huh?"

Aari shrugged. "There's no place like home?" he suggested.

Rachel stared at him before replying, "I knew letting you watch _The Wizard of Oz_ was a bad idea. I just knew it."

"Perhaps this 'Kaede' the lady Kagome mentioned may be able to assist us," Martin suggested.

Saria nodded in agreement. Kagome smiled at them. So did Miroku. Shippo was still wrestling with Tala. Inuyasha glowered, and Sango merely stared grimly. Rachel found the group slightly intimidating. Only slightly, though. At least they didn't look as if they were annoying up to the nine hells.

"Well, Kagome, lead on!" she cried, grinning at the girl. She seemed nice. Maybe they could be friends!

Kagome grinned. "The nearest village is about two days away," she explained, as Inuyasha started back up the trail with one last, icy glare directed towards Aari.

Saria shrugged. "Ah, well. It's good time, I suppose."

The strange group started off, heading into, as Inuyasha and Kagome would later dub it, 'the Realms of Insanity'.

* * *

A/N: Sorry if the meeting was a little confusing. The next chapter will be better, I promise.

Review! Feed me, muahahahaha!


	4. The Light to the Darkness

A/N: Okay, people, this fic is now officially PWP (Plot? What Plot?). The only sure thing is that Aari and co. have to get back home, and I'm including Shesshoumaru because he's just so coooool. If anyone has anything - or any_one_ - they would like to see in this fic, let me know!

* * *

Later on that day:

Rachel, Kagome, Sango, and Saria were relaxing together in a nearby hot spring, Kirara and Flicker curled up nearby, a safe distance from the water. Rachel and Saria in particular were thankful for the fresh, warm water. Spending seven days in a boat can do that. They were enjoying themselves, energetically comparing their respective monks and hanyous.

Kagome sighed. "Well, Inuyasha can be pretty grumpy at times," she admitted.

Rachel hummed in sympathy. "Yeah, so can Aari. What's annoying is that he swings back and forth between grouchy and perky so damn _fast_ . . ."

Sango turned to Saria. "What's Martin like? He seemed polite."

Saria scrunched up her face in recollection. "An absolute pervert, and sickly polite on top of that."

"Yeah," Rachel agreed.

"I'm gonna slaughter Miroku," Sango growled dangerously. "One day, he'll grope me one too many times . . ."

Saria, meanwhile, had turned to Kagome. "Actually, Aari can be kinda sweet at times . . . when he's not being an idiot. Stupid Gypsy hanyou."

Kagome and Sango looked up, confused. "Gypsy?" they asked.

"Yeah, Gypsy," Rachel replied. "Traveling people who love to entertain. Colorful clothing, caravans, the whole nine yards. His mother was a Gypsy, so . . ."

"Yeah, I get it," Kagome nodded in understanding.

Suddenly, the girl's peaceful chatter was interrupted by a distant "Yowch! #$! . . .", and the sounds of Shippo and Tala shrieking. "Kagome!" "Rachel!"

The girls, needless to say, were out of the spring and dressed in nanoseconds.

The young kitsune and tanuki burst out of the trees, closely followed by Aari, who was laughing so hard he was threatening to collapse. A few seconds later, Inuyasha appeared, pursuing the guilty-looking trio.

"Inuyasha, _**SIT**!_"' Kagome screamed. _THUD._

The four girls turned to face the kids and Aari as the two monks came panting through the trees. Aari proclaimed loftily, "I didn't do it. I just laughed. Jeez, that guy gets ticked off so _easy_ . . ."

Inuyasha snarled through the dirt he was spitting out of his mouth. Aari snorted.

Kagome shook her head despairingly. She decided silently that she _really_ did not want to know what Aari had laughed at. "I should've known leaving you guys together alone was a bad idea."

Shippo then chose to pipe up, "I'm hungry. Let's eat!"

Before Martin (or Inuyasha or Miroku, for that matter) could claim cooking rights, Aari and Rachel hastily shouted "We're cooking!"

Inuyasha, Kagome, Shippo, Sango, and Miroku exchanged bemused and apprehensive looks, all remembering Inuyasha's pathetic and rather disastrous attempts at cooking.

Later, Rachel was busy chopping up vegetables for a stew by the fire. Nearby, leaning against the trunk of a large tree, Aari was peeling apples and potatoes with his claws while attempting to prompt Inuyasha into speaking.

"So . . . you're an inu-hanyou, right?"

Silence.

"I, uhh . . . you trapped for fifty years, too?"

Silence.

"I was pinned to a rock," Aari continued, seemingly oblivious to the seething inu-hanyou's annoyance.

"Tree," Inuyasha finally grunted.

"Aha!" Aari cried, beaming with sudden happiness. "He does talk!"

Inuyasha growled. Aari flattened his cat-like ears and growled right back, long black tail lashing.

Rachel, much to Kagome's surprise, stopped the impending fight before it began. "Aari. Quietness. Two minutes. Now."

Aari immediately shut up and shoved half an apple into his mouth. When the two minutes were up, Kagome walked over and asked, "Why did you listen to her?"

The panther hanyou rolled his eyes. "Last time I didn't listen to 'Quietness', she sat me so much I couldn't sit up for two days straight. Not fun. I guess she needs peace and quiet once in a while, or she'll explode. Which is rather scary for someone who's bound to her for, like, forever."

Kagome looked rather thoughtful as she sat down beside the neko hanyou on an old rotten log. "I wish Inuyasha would listen to me sometimes," she said wistfully.

Aari glanced over at her. She noticed with curiosity that his eyes were a deep shade of purple. "Do what Rachel does," he advised her.

"What's that?" Kagome asked, curious.

"When you reach the end of your rope, become frightfully intimidating and 'sit' him to next year."

"Rachel does that?" Kagome exclaimed, shocked. She didn't know if she had the nerve to do that . . .

"Yeah," he affirmed nonchalantly. "But I'm a very slow learner, or so I'm told."

Kagome surveyed the panther hanyou for a moment. "You're nothing like Inuyasha," she finally decreed.

Aari snorted, handing her an apple as he started on a new one. "I should hope not! He's a bit of a grouch, isn't he? Me, I live to entertain."

"Mm-hmm."

He shrugged, concentrating on making his apple peel as long as possible. "Ah, well – he's probably got his reasons and is just dealin' with 'em by being an asshole. Dog demons can be like that."

"Like _what?_" Inuyasha asked dangerously as he approached the two.

"Like thick-headed idiots," Aari replied without missing a beat. "Scuze me, I need to go bug Rachel and give her these apples." He got up gracefully and walked over to the dishwater-blond, and immediately started juggling the peeled fruits as she reached for them.

Inuyasha glared at them as their semi-playful banter wafted over. "I don't like that cat," he growled.

Kagome sniffed. "_I_ think it's just because he's being civil to me," she informed him, "and I happened to be enjoying it."

"Feh!" Inuyasha snorted, rolling his amber eyes. "Why would I ever get jealous over _you_?"

Hurt, Kagome was about to reply when a shout drew both their attentions. Their heads whipped around to find Saria and a large, snarling Flicker chasing Miroku about the clearing, waving a great javelin. "Hentai! Pervert! At least Martin has _some_ manners! Get back here, you creep! You - !"

Everyone in the camp, including Sango, laughed at the comical sight. Miroku, on the other hand, was looking downright panicky.

"Now, really, lady Saria, can't we talk this over?" he called over his shoulder. Saria's response was to toss the javelin at him, flooring the unfortunate monk.

Miroku sat up, rubbing his head. "Oww . . ." he moaned. Sango snorted, obviously feeling no sympathy for the convicted pervert. Saria retrieved her javelin, fairly smoldering. Martin, noticing something was up, got to his feet. Saria, noting the movement, whirled around and pointed the javelin threateningly in his direction, as large Flicker hissed menacingly. "Don't move," she growled. "I am _so _not in the mood for you. If you know what's good for you, back off."

Martin, displaying more common sense than Miroku ever seemed to possess, raised his hands in a placating gesture and slowly backed away. Kagome laughed at the amusing sight.

Rachel, ignoring the seemingly common-place scenario, ambled over towards Kagome with two bowls of soup. Sitting down beside the dark-haired girl, Rachel handed Kagome a bowl of the steaming stew. "Here you go – my specialty," she said, grinning. Kagome took a cautious sip. "Hey – this is pretty good!" she exclaimed, surprised.

Rachel laughed. "Can't you cook?" she asked.

Kagome shrugged. "Mostly Ramen. Inuyasha can't cook at all."

Rachel looked mildly surprised. "Huh. We really are all different from each other, aren't we?" she said thoughtfully, blinking her green eyes.

Kagome shrugged. "We probably grew up under different circumstances," she said musingly. "Aari is like Inuyasha's polar opposite . . . and Saria is notably more violent, and Martin has more manners, and . . . oh, my head hurts," she moaned, giving up.

Suddenly, from behind them, Aari leaped down from his hiding spot and attacked Rachel, tickling her sides mercilessly.

"Ahh!" the light-haired girl shrieked in surprise before doubling over in helpless laughter. Stunned, Kagome nearly missed catching Rachel's flying soup. She had known Aari was drastically different from the hanyou she knew, but the way the two seemed to get along so well . . .

Laughing, the neko hanyou relented. Rachel collapsed on her side, gasping for breath. "Aari, you idiot!" she gasped. Aari snickered, striding over to stand above her.

She scowled up at him. "You are so dead."

Aari gasped in mock surprise, placing a hand over his heart. "Rachel! I don't think I've ever been so complimented! Oh, be still, my beating heart!"

She rolled her eyes as she slowly hoisted herself up into a sitting position. "Don't get any ideas, Romeo," she warned.

Aari grinned, and Kagome noticed a not-entirely-playful twinkle in his eye – something that looked almost like . . . affection. The look lasted all of a second, however, as he then launched into a spiel of Shakespearian poetry.

"What light on yonder tree-stump breaks?" he proclaimed dramatically, acting for all the world like a love-struck young man. "It is the east, and Rachel is the sun! Oh, fair sun, how great is thou's annoyance! And yet, I shall persevere, for none is fairer than the wise and not-so-benevolent Rachel!"

Rachel blushed furiously as she kicked out at the wildly playacting half-demon. "Shut up!" she snapped.

He smiled down at her. "Love ya too, Rach," he said teasingly.

She grumbled and seized hold of one of his baggy shirtsleeves, using it as a lever to pull herself back upright again. He stood there until she was standing, then grinned. "Do I get a thank-you kiss?" he asked, the picture of innocence.

Rachel glared daggers at him. He mock-pouted. "Ah, well," he shrugged as if merely disappointed. Then, he did something no one – not even Rachel – expected: he leaned down quickly and pecked her on the cheek.

Rachel gasped and turned even redder before scowling and taking off after the fleeing, wildly grinning hanyou. "Get back here, you idiot!" she shouted, apparently set on 'kill' mode.

Kagome blinked as Inuyasha came over to stand by her and stare after the retreating pair. Inuyasha shook his head.

"Somehow," he commented, "I don't think we'll ever understand those two."

Kagome nodded her agreement. "Same here." The two companions leaned comfortably back to watch the ensuing chase with amusement and borderline annoyance on Inuyasha's part. Kagome was slightly concerned for Aari's well-being, however.

"Sit!" Rachel yelled after a while. The turquoise and ivory beads around the neko-hanyou's neck glowed brightly and dragged him to the earth with a "THUD." Aari sprang right back up again, however, and at the end, the neko merely ran Rachel out until she flopped down onto the forest floor, panting, as he took refuge up a tall tree.

Saria, going over to Rachel, called over her shoulder to the hanyou, "You know, you probably shouldn't have done that."

He shrugged from his relaxed perch. "I know. But I did anyway." He grinned. Saria shook her head, helping Rachel up. Sangosnorted incredulouslyfrom her seat near the fire. "Do you ever regret anything?" the warrior woman asked curiously.

Aari suddenly looked thoughtful – almost serious. "Lots of things," he replied quietly. Then, the sudden gloom was gone from his face as he made a show of searching his pockets. "I know I've got a list of 'em somewhere . . ."

Kagome giggled. Aari was such a goof. Next to her, Inuyasha cracked a sardonic grin. Kagome blinked in surprise.

"I thought you hated him," she commented. Inuyasha looked over to her, startled.

"Well," he began, frowning, "I don't _hate _him . . . I just don't like him. He's . . . amusing, though. I suppose."

Kagome laughed. "He's the light to your dark," she teased. Inuyasha blinked, confused. "I'm not dark," he protested.

"No, I mean . . ." Kagome paused, unsure of what to say. "You're the warrior, I suppose – you live to fight, and he lives to entertain."

"But I _like_ fighting!" the flustered dog hanyou protested.

"I know!" Kagome said quickly. "And that's a good thing, considering how much we've had to fight lately."

Inuyasha cocked his head, pinning Kagome with his penetrating gaze. All of a sudden, he said, "I'm glad you're not like Rachel."

"What?" Kagome asked, startled.

"I'm glad you're not like Rachel," he repeated. "She's so commandeering and forceful and – and _nerve-wracking_, she and I would be at each others throats the moment we met if you had been her. As it is, I'm having enough trouble with her with Aari taking the brunt of her . . . domineering tendencies."

Kagome blinked. "Well, I'm glad you're not like Aari."

He looked startled. "Really? Why?"

She shrugged. "He's fun and all, just . . . after a while, I _know_ he's going to start wearing on my nerves and my patience. I'd never be able to put up with him. I don't see how Rachel does it, honestly."

Rachel, catching her last comment, looked up from her contemplation of the surrounding woods and said seriously, "Practice. Lots and lots of practice." Glancing up, the blond added, "You can come down now, Aari. I promise I'll leave your internal organs alone."

Aari hopped out of the tree and sat down next to the girl who had been chasing him around with death threats just minutes ago. "I know you would never really hurt me," he commented as he ladled out his share of stew. "You love me too much."

Rachel rolled her eyes, but Kagome couldn't help but notice that the girl did not refute the comment.

Inuyasha leaned forwards, resting his elbows on his knees, and wondered aloud, "I wonder if everything that cat says is truly jesting, or whether he really means some of it."

Kagome, startled by her companion's sudden thoughtfulness, shrugged. "I guess we'll never really know," she sighed. "Unless he decides to tell us, that is."

Inuyasha snorted. "Highly doubtful." With that, the two got up to join the rest of the group around the fire. The odd company stayed up long after nightfall.

* * *

A/N: Sooo? Better? Worse? Died of laughter? Died of boredom?(certainly hope not ...) I really tried to make Rachel and Aari different from their counterparts - I haven't read much of the manga, so all I know about Miroku and Sango is what I've read here. Which is extensive, but still ... I tried politeness with Martin and violence with Saria, but if they're like clones of their alternates, I'm sorry! 

Review! You shall get flowers from either:

(A) Aari: **((grins spunkily and holds out a pretty bouquet of flowers, fidgeting cutely and tiptoe-ing across the review button))**

(B) Rachel: **((rolls eyes but holds out a handful of daisies, muttering **"I better not be giving this to some perverted guy ..."**, yanking Aari off review button))**

(C) Martin: **((bows low, humbly extending a single white rose))**

or (D)Saria: **((growls and mutters that warriors and demonslayers do _not_ give posies and daffodils to anyone, let alone a reveiwer she does not know))**

So please review! Before these guys kill me for making them hold flowers!


End file.
